JUST before Christmas Douglas Taylor, breeder of Samcro (Germany), announced the death of the gelding’s dam Dun Dun, herself a daughter of Saddlers’ Hall (Sadler’s Wells). Dun Dun produced seven foals, with the Grade 1 Ballymore Novices’ Hurdle and Deloitte Brave Inca Novice Hurdle winner being her fourth foal.

Samcro, a £335,000 purchase by trainer Gordon Elliott at the Goffs UK Aintree Sale in 2016, was initially raced by Taylor when trained by Colin Bowe. “Dun Dun has been a grand mare for us and we are sad to see her go,” Taylor said. “We have one last filly out of her, a four-year-old daughter of the young sire Jet Away.” That filly is, understandably, named Samcro’s Sister, and Dun Dun was in foal to Jet Away (Cape Cross) when she died.